The Global Paddling Community

Paddling the Yukon River and its Tributaries covers more than 4,000 miles of watery trail. The Yukon, Tanana, Porcupine, Koyukuk, and Kuskokwim Rivers are the five longest rivers in Alaska, extending into the Yukon Territory. This water flows freely, almost entirely undammed. Salmon surge against current. Moose, bears, and wolves wander the banks. Birds swarm in spectacular density. Roads rarely cross. Many residents live a subsistence lifestyle. No permits are required to be here. These channels are a natural path through the last large wilderness in North America. Paddling the Yukon River and its Tributaries approaches journeys of this magnitude like a through-hiker on the Appalachian Trail, but with a canoe or kayak. Each river is described from beginning to end, detailing access points, resupply options, and navigation tips throughout the flow. There are 35 original maps. Although the approach assumes long voyages, information is supplied for a range of trip lengths. Anything from an afternoon to a weekend to a week to a two-month float is possible. Paddling the Yukon River and its Tributaries is the only guide book to paddling the entire Yukon River from beginning to end.

In Paddling Alaska, you can drive to all the lakes and rivers described in this guide. This fact might sound unremarkable, but Alaska is mostly wilderness, with few highways. This is the first guidebook to organize journeys in this manner.